


Connected Hearts

by kikanawj



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Feels, Gen, Injury fic for a sports anime where it's not a player that gets hurt (physically at least), Major Character Injury, Takeda being pushy and awesome, The team(s) come together to get through it, Ukai Keishin gets hurt real bad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 08:11:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6746227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kikanawj/pseuds/kikanawj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ukai Keishin is usually one of the first people they see when practice gets started at Karasuno. Takeda doesn't think it's any cause for concern, really. Who doesn't have a late start every once in a while?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(I'm a sucker for injury fics, but hate when kids have to give up on their dreams of nationals because of it. So here's an injury fic, about a sports anime, that gets around that.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In which Coach is absent

**Author's Note:**

> First Haikyuu!! fic!  
> I'm really excited!  
> Let's go make some characters cry~!
> 
> Title is a reference to the literal translation of "Keishin" = "Connecting hearts"

“Has anyone seen Ukai-san?” Takeda asked the gym at large.

Everyone seemed to pause and look around, as if they hadn’t even noticed their coach’s absence until it was remarked upon. No one replied in the affirmative.

“Well, that’s rather odd,” Takeda rubbed the back of his neck. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked it, but there were no missed calls or texts.

“Is everything okay, Sensei?” Kiyoko asked him quietly.

“I’m sure it’s a simple mix up, or he’s just running a little late,” Takeda smiled, “Would you please help Daichi get the net up and start warm-ups?”

She nodded and headed over to the storage closet. Takeda dialed Keishin’s number and stepped out of the gym to hear better. The call went straight to voicemail, no dial tones. Takeda left a quick message.

“I’m sure you’re already on your way here to Karasuno, but I wanted to call in case something had come up. Please let me know as soon as possible either way. Thank you.”

Ukai didn’t show up or call the entire practice. Everyone managed to do just fine, with Daichi and Suga leading the drills and scrimmages. Clean-up went smooth, and Takeda even managed to convince Tobio and Shouyou to leave with the rest of the team.

Takeda had just finished grabbing all of his take home work to grade and was heading towards his car when his phone chirped at him. He fished it out and saw that Suga had texted him.

 

 _8:45pm_  
_Sugawara: Coach’s shop is closed. We saw it on our way home. There’s a sign on the door apologizing for the closure and saying it’ll be closed for the next few days. Is Coach okay?_

 

Takeda felt worry welling up in his gut. He hurried to his car and shoved his work into the trunk.

 

 _8:49pm_  
_To Sugawara: Thank you for letting me know. I’ll ask around. Don’t worry too much and make sure to get enough sleep tonight, okay?_

  
_8:50pm_  
_Sugawara: Will do, Sensei. (^u^)_

 

Takeda scrolled through his contacts and dialed Ukai Ikkei. The dial tone droned on and on and eventually went to voicemail.

“Ukai-san, this is Takeda. I’m calling about Keishin-san. He didn’t show up to practice today and hasn’t been answering his phone. I just found out the shop is closed and will be for a while. Please let me know if something’s happened. Thank you very much.”

Takeda hung up and went scrolling again through the numbers. He felt a sense of pride then about how pushy he normally was about networking and getting people’s phone numbers. He dialed Yūsuke Takinoue.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Takinoue-san, this is Takeda Ittetsu from Karasuno.”

“Oh, hey,” Yūsuke replied cheerfully, “Nice to hear from you. You guys did great in that last match.”

“Thank you,” Takeda chuckled, “I’m sorry to bother you this late, but have you heard from Ukai-san today? I haven’t been able to get ahold of him.”

“Mmm, no I haven’t spoken to him today. We all met up for drinks two nights ago, but I haven’t seen him since. Is everything okay?”

“I’m not quite sure,” Takeda sighed, “He hasn’t answered his phone and he missed practice today. And apparently his shop’s closed and will be for a few days.”

“That’s weird. Even if he’s taken off somewhere, his parents wouldn’t just close up. Might be something going on with his family.”

“I did try to call Ukai Ikkei-san, but he didn’t answer.”

“I’ll call his parents,” Yūsuke reassured, “And I’ll try their house. I can call you back once I know what’s up.”

“Thank you very much, Takinoue-san,” Takeda bowed his head, forgetting he was speaking through a phone.

“No problem. I’ll call you in a bit.” He hung up.

Takeda put his phone back in his pocket and got in his car. He was half-way back to his house when it rang. He pulled over and fished it out.

He saw it was Yūsuke and answered it, “Hello?”

“Takeda-san, where are you right now?” Yūsuke sounded tense.

“Huh? I’m in my car. I pulled over to answer my phone.”

“Good, okay, um,” Yūsuke took a few quick breathes, “This is going to be hard to hear. I kinda fell into a heap when I heard, so, like, make sure your car’s in park okay?”

“It is,” Takeda replied, his gut tightening with worry, “What happened, Takinoue-san?”

“Keishin’s in the hospital. He got struck by a car this morning.”


	2. In which Takeda's night is very long

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not live in Japan, any Hospital procedures are modeled after my own experiences, don't look to me as a reputable source of Japanese medical knowledge.

“Keishin’s in the hospital. He got struck by a car this morning.”

Takeda felt all the air go out of his lungs, like he’d been punched in the gut.

“What?”

“Apparently it happened as he was heading towards his family’s farm this morning. The driver called for an ambulance and got him to the hospital as soon as possible, but he’s been in and out of surgeries all day.”

Takeda could feel his hands shaking, noticed that his breathing was labored. He tried to take a second, held his breath and willed himself to calm down.

“Takeda-san?”

“I’m still here,” He exhaled deeply, forcing his breathing to slow down, “Have they- did they say if he’s- if he’s going to be okay?”

“They said it’s still up in the air,” Yūsuke whispered into the phone, like he could bring himself to say it too loudly, “I spoke with his mother. She was crying the whole time.”

Takeda took another few deep breaths and tried to blink away the wetness in his eyes.

“Which hospital?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, the big one on Kiba Ave, at the north side of town. Are you going to head there tonight?”

“Yes,” Takeda spared a quick thought to the piles of papers that were in his trunk, but he banished it with a shake of his head, “Could you please give me his mother’s number?”

Yūsuke rattled it off. He sighed, “I need to call Yukinari, Makoto, Tetsu, and Hidenori.”

“I understand, thank you for calling me.”

“Be careful driving over there, okay, Sensei?” Yūsuke chuckled sadly.

“I will be, thank you,” He hung up.

He took a minute, just sitting there and letting the news wash over him. After a few moments he took his glasses off and wiped his eyes as dry as he could. He pulled his car back out and headed north.

He stopped by the first convenience store he came across. If Ukai’s family had been at the hospital since early this morning they probably hadn’t been eating enough. He stuffed a bag full of snacks and cans of juice, coffee, and tea. He pulled out his phone and sent a text to Ukai’s mother.

_9:30pm  
To Ukai’s Mother: Hello. I am Takeda Ittetsu. I work at Karasuno with your son. I apologize if this seems pushy, but I am on my way to the hospital tonight. I am currently at a convenience store. Is there anything any of you need?_

He waited a few minutes, ambling around the store. His phone rang and he answered it.

“Hello?”

“Takeda-san, yes?” A woman’s voice came over the line.

“Yes, I am.”

She chuckled softly, “I never quite believed my son when he would say how pushy you were. I suppose there’s no stopping you from coming here tonight?”

“No, Ukai-san, not at all,” Takeda replied softly, but firmly.

She chuckled again, “Then I suppose some coffee would be wonderful. Thank you, Takeda-san.”

He purchased his small mountain of snacks and drinks. As he was climbing back into his car his phone chimed again. She had texted him the waiting room number.

He arrived at the hospital in twenty minutes. He followed the signs to a small waiting room just outside of ICU. He spotted Ikkei Ukai first, awkwardly pacing around the tiny room.

“Ukai-san,” He called out gently. Ikkei and two other people sitting near him turn at the name.

“Takeda-san, yes?” A woman who must’ve been Keishin’s mother stands up as he walks over to them. He nods.

“I’m so sorry we ended up meeting like this,” Takeda bowed his head, “I’m Takeda Ittetsu and I have the honor of working with your son.”

“I’m Asami, and this is my husband Masahiro,” The man next to her stood and bowed, “And my Father-in-law, Ikkei.”

Takeda bowed to each in turn. He smiled slightly up at Ikkei, “We’ve met before in passing. Back when you worked at Karasuno.”

They sat down together as Takeda offered them the snacks he had bought. They waited in silence mostly, as the clock on the wall ticked slowly onward. Yūsuke texted him occasionally, asking for updates and the like. An hour after Takeda arrived, a nurse came out into the waiting room and asked for them.

“He’s doing much better,” She assured them, “The last surgery went extremely well and it looks like he’s stabilizing. We’ll be keeping him in ICU overnight for observation, but if he remains stable he’ll be moved into a regular room first thing in the morning.”

The three Ukai’s seemed to deflate at the news, the tense despair from before being replaced with relief.

“Can we see him?” Masahiro asked, his voice rough.

The nurse nodded, “I can take two at a time back to see him, but only for a bit.”

Masahiro and Asami went first. Takeda made sure to update Yūsuke.

 

_11:04pm  
To Yūsuke Takinoue: He’s out of surgery. They said it went well. He’ll be in ICU overnight and moved into a regular room in the morning if he’s still stable._

_11:04pm  
Yūsuke Takinoue: Thank goodness._

_11:05pm  
Yūsuke Takinoue: Have you seen him?_

_11:05pm  
To Yūsuke Takinoue: Not yet, but I will. His parents are seeing him right now._

_11:06pm  
Yūsuke Takinoue: Shit, Sensei, don’t you have work in the morning? After you see him you should go home. Makoto, Hidenori, Yukinari and I are going to come over early tomorrow. _

_11:07pm  
To Yūsuke Takinoue: I do have work tomorrow. I will be sure to head home soon, thank you._

 

After a few more minutes Asami and Masahiro returned and Takeda accompanied Ikkei to see Keishin. They had to wear face masks in the ICU. The nurse led them into one of the rooms.

There were machines crowded all around the bed, with lines and wires snaking out from under the blankets. Keishin’s whole body was covered by the blankets except for his face and right arm that had an IV hooked up to it. He lay almost completely still on the bed, the only movement being his chest rising and falling. His face had a nasty bruise covering almost all of its left side.

Ikkei made his way over to the bed and leaned over his grandson. He gently ran his fingers through Keishin’s hair.

Takeda waited for him, standing just inside the doorway. After a few minutes the nurse asked them to follow her back out again.

“Thank you,” Takeda bowed to her after they’d returned to the waiting room.

The Ukais all went and sat back down together. They looked exhausted.

“I’m sorry to have to leave like this, but I have work in the morning,” Takeda apologized.

“Don’t worry about it, Takeda-san,” Asami smiled kindly at him, “Thank you for coming tonight, and for bringing food.”

“Takinoue-san told me he’d be by in the morning along with Shimada-san, Uchizawa-san, and Mori-san.”

Asami nodded, “It’ll be good to see those boys again. Be safe getting home, Takeda.”

Takeda was asleep on his feet by the time he walked into his house. He managed to brush his teeth and put on his pajamas before crawling into his bed. He slid off his glasses and blinked at the numbers on his alarm clock. 12:03am.

He fell asleep almost instantly.


	3. In which the team finds out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feelings, teenagers, need I say more?

He almost slept through his alarm in the morning. He hurried through his morning routine in order to get to the school earlier than normal. He wanted to be able to talk to the team before morning practice got started. He wasn’t sure if they’d really be up to practicing after they all found out.

He managed to be the second person in the gym in the morning. Only Shimizu had beat him there.

“Ah, Shizimu-chan let’s wait a bit before putting the net up. I’ve got something to talk about with everyone first.”

“Okay, Sensei,” She gave him a look, like she wanted to ask him about it before everyone else got there, but she didn’t press.

Everyone else filtered in during the next 15 minutes. Hinata and Kageyama had both tried to run in the door at the same time and ended up in a heap. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had laughed at them and Daichi had yelled at them. Once everyone was assembled, Takeda asked them to gather around.

All the players sat on the floor and looked up at Takeda expectantly. Takeda sighed and motioned for Shizimu and Yachi to join him in sitting on the floor as well.

“I have some bad news to share,” Takeda started off, “Ukai-san is currently in the hospital recovering from a motor vehicle accident.”

“What?!” Almost everyone yelled at once.

“Is he going to be okay?” Suga asked, face pale.

“What happened?” Tanaka exclaimed.

“Coach,” Hinata muttered to himself as tears were already gathering in his eyes.

Takeda held up his hands and waited until the team fell silent.

“He is going to be okay. His condition has already improved and he was moved out of the ICU this morning,” Takeda told them all calmly, “He was injured on his way to his family’s farm yesterday morning. A car swerved and struck him.”

They all seemed to absorb the news differently. Hinata had tears rolling down his face as he sniffed quietly. Kageyama seemed to be in shock. Tsukishima looked like he was trying very hard to not seem upset. Yamaguchi was curled up, hugging his knees. Yachi was sniffling and Kiyoko was offering her a tissue, a pained expression on her face as well.

All the second years seemed to be tense, hands curled into fists, shoulders hunched. Nishinoya was leaning on Tanaka, tears welling up in both of their eyes.

Daichi had his hands in fists, one clutching his shirt the other held tight by Asahi. Suga also had his hand caught in Asahi’s death grip. Asahi was breathing shallowly, his whole body shaking.

“Azumane-kun?” Takeda had been expecting tears from their glass-hearted ace. Not panic.

Asahi let go of Daichi and Suga’s hands and stood up quickly. He practically sprinted to the gym door. Daichi took off after him.

Takeda went to get up and follow as well, but hesitated when Suga motioned for him to stop.

“Sorry, Sensei, you couldn’t have known,” Suga tried to smile and it’s a fragile thing, “Asahi’s got a bad history with car accidents. He’ll be okay. Just needs to calm down.”

Takeda nodded and slumped back down. Suga got up and calmly went after Daichi and Asahi.

“I know this is a lot to take in. Morning practice is available for those of you who want to do so, but I am not requiring it. So please take a moment and try to assess what you need right now,” Takeda watched as they all nodded in some way.

Kageyama held still for about ten seconds before he shot to his feet and headed towards the supply closet. Hinata was after him almost instantly. The two of them started pulling out the net as the others took their time deciding what to do.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi got up and left together. Tsukishima had his headphones on before he was even out of the gym. Ennoshita got up and helped Hinata string up his end of the net. Narita and Kinoshita soon joined them. Tanaka and Nishinoya eventually got to their feet and headed towards the supply closet as well.

Yachi and Shizimu went and sat on the stage on the far side of the gym. They chatted quietly with each other as they watched practice start up.

Takeda waited until they all had settled in to the routine of drills before he headed to check on the third years. They weren’t right outside the gym, so he went to check in the club room.

It was there he found Asahi, Suga, and Daichi all sitting in a corner. Asahi was holding their hands again, and seemed much calmer than before.

“Azumane-kun, I’m sorry about earlier,” Takeda bowed his head slightly, “Are you feeling better?”

Asahi nodded, “I’m sorry, Sensei. I shouldn’t have just run out like that.”

“It’s alright, Sugawara-kun explained a little. Would you like to talk about it? Or about Ukai-san?”

Asahi nodded. Daichi squeezed his hand and then pulled away.

“I’ll head back and help with practice. Kageyama and Hinata still wanted to, right?” Daichi grinned.

Takeda nodded, “Almost everyone decided to stay, if not practice. Don’t push them too hard, alright?”

“Yes, Sensei,” Daichi left.

Takeda went and sat next to Asahi and Suga. They were still holding hands, but it didn’t seem like the death grip from earlier.

“My parents got into a car accident when I was younger,” Asahi started quietly, “They had just dropped me off and my grandparents’ house. It was just as they were pulling around the block. I was still waving at them when it happened.”

Takeda nodded, waiting to see if he would continue.

“They’re both okay,” Asahi said more forcefully, “Although my mom’s still got a big scar on her arm from it. And I’m not afraid of riding in cars or anything. It’s just that when people talk about accidents…”

“You remember watching one happen,” Takeda offered. Asahi nodded. “That perfectly understandable. Thank you for telling me.”

Asahi nodded again, “I’m usually good after I’ve taken a moment to calm down. Suga and Daichi help.”

Suga blushed slightly, “Asahi and I’ve been classmates since middle school. It’s not a usual conversation topic, but it has come up before.”

Takeda nodded, “I’m certainly reassured. Please take as much time as you need. Morning practice is not required, so feel free to do what would be best for you.”

“Thank you, Sensei,” Asahi bowed his head slightly. Suga did as well.

Takeda got up and headed back to the gym. He smiled softly as he saw the players had decided to play a scrimmage game. It was Kageyama, Hinata, Norita, and Daichi against Tanaka, Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Nishinoya. He smiled even wider when he saw they hadn’t bothered to keep score.

Practice continued in the very informal manner until their usual break down time. Just as they were breaking down the equipment and fetching the brooms, Takeda’s phone chimed. It was a message from Yūsuke.

 

 _7:37am  
Yūsuke Takinoue: Good morning, Sensei! Keishin woke up! He’s been up and lucid for a few minutes now! Thought you’d like to know. (/^_ _▽^)/_

 

Takeda felt his face break into a wide grin. He gathered everyone up after they had finished cleaning and shared the good news with them. They all went off the classes happier for it.

 

_7:53am  
To Yūsuke Takinoue: Thank you for the update. I’m relieved to hear he’s recovering. The team was happy to hear it as well._

_7:54am  
Yūsuke Takinoue: Good. Wouldn’t want those kids getting too glum and serious._ _-(_ _๑_ _☆‿_ _☆#)_ _ᕗ_

_7:55am  
To Yūsuke Takinoue: How are Asami-san, Masahiro-san, and Ikkei-san doing?_

_7:57am  
Yūsuke Takinoue: Gramps is going to go home in a bit. We’re trying to convince Asami-san and Masahiro-san to go home today too. But we can’t really blame them for wanting to stay and talk with Keishin now that he’s up. ¯\\_(_ _ツ)_/¯_

_7:59am  
To Yūsuke Takinoue: I’m sure you’ll all manage somehow. Thank you for keeping me updated. I will be in the classroom now and won’t be able to reply, but feel free to message me. Thank you again._

_8:00am  
Yūsuke Takinoue: No problem, Sensei! _ _୧| ” •̀_ _ل_ _͜ •́ ” |_ _୨_


	4. In which the word is spread

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a chapter not in Takeda's POV.

Hinata didn’t immediately spring out of his seat when the lunch bell rang. He’d been feeling sluggish and down ever since practice that morning. It had felt good to play with everyone, and even better to hear that Coach had woken up, but the general feeling of sadness still crept in. He was still sitting with his head on his desk when his phone buzzed in his pocket.

 

_12:15pm  
From Kenma: Did you make it to the next dungeon in PP3 yet?_

 

Hinata sighed as he typed out a response.

 

_12:17pm  
To Kenma: No. Haven’t even cleared the forest level yet._

_12:18pm  
From Kenma: What’s wrong? Are you sick?_

_12:20pm  
To Kenma: What do you mean?_

_12:20pm  
From Kenma: Those are the 2 shortest messages you’ve ever sent me. No “shwoom”s or “K-paaaa”s or anything. Are you okay?_

 

Hinata let his head flop back down on his desk. He took a moment to try and sort out what to tell Kenma.

 

_12:26pm  
To Kenma: Our Coach was in an accident. He’s in the hospital. I’m not feeling very excited about anything right now. Sorry._

_12:27pm  
From Kenma: You don’t have to be sorry. _

_12:27pm  
From Kenma: What kind of accident? Is he going to be okay?_

_12:29pm  
To Kenma: A car swerved and hit him. He’s recovering. He woke up today._

_12:29pm  
From Kenma: That’s good to hear. Are you guys still practicing?_

_12:31pm  
To Kenma: Yeah. We had a kinda ~fwoom~ practice this morning. It wasn’t required, but a lot of us still stayed. _

 

“Kenmaaaaa, you need to eat _some_ thing,” Kuroo chided as he put a bread roll between Kenma’s face and his phone.

“Busy,” Kenma muttered as he leaned away and kept typing on his phone.

“I know you skipped breakfast playing your new game this morning. I’m sure Shou-chan’s latest made up words can wait a few minutes.”

“Shouyou’s coach is in the hospital,” Kenma replied tensely.

“What? What happened?” Kuroo scooted closer to him, trying to read his phone’s screen.

“A car swerved and hit him, apparently. He just woke up today,” Kenma replied as he kept typing.

“Shit,” Kuroo swore. He watched for a moment as Kenma sent off another message and then waited, tense and still, for a reply. He was usually only that focused on something when he was in a boss battle.

“I’ve got an idea,” Kuroo declared as he stood up, “I might not be back before lunch ends. Make sure to actually eat something.”

Kenma nodded, eyes still not leaving his phone.

Kuroo made his way to the teacher’s offices, waving off people who tried to talk to him on the way. He found Coach Nekomata and Naoi in their office going over old game videos as they ate.

“Coach, I need to talk to you,” He bowed slightly as he entered the office.

“What is it, Kuroo-kun?” Naoi asked as he paused the video.

“Well, uh,” Kuroo hunched his shoulders, “Kenma was texting Shou-chan from Karasuno. And it’s-” Kuroo sighed, “Their coach is in the hospital.”

“Ukai-san?” Naoi asked, face heavy with concern.

Kuroo nodded, “Apparently he got hit by a car. He just woke up today. And I had a thought that we could-” Kuroo rubbed the back of his neck, “Try and arrange some more practice games with them? And have them be at Karasuno this time. Just a few!” He added quickly, “While their coach recovers…”

Naoi exchanged a look with Nekomata and then nodded, “We’ll have to see about a few things, but that sounds like a wonderful idea.”

“Captain,” Nekomata looked Kuroo over with a discerning eye, “When did you find out about this?”

“Just now, Coach,” Kuroo shuffled his feet a little, “Kenma was texting with Shou-chan during lunch.”

Nekomata smiled and nodded, “We can’t have those crows getting rusty while their keeper’s away.”

Kuroo nodded and grinned back. The first bell rang and the coaches shooed him out of their office.

They both sat for a moment, the paused video shining dimly onto their cluttered desks. Naoi sighed and set his half eaten lunch aside.

“You think they’ll want to host the practice games?”

Nekomata crossed his arms and nodded. “I’ll give Takeda a call, see what days will work for them. Would you mind letting those from Ubugawa, Shizen, and Fukurōdani know?”

“Let them…know?” Naoi quirked an eyebrow, “Sensei?”

Nekomata smirked, “Come now, we can’t go and babysit them every day. We’ve got to make sure those crows keep their beaks sharp. Why else do you have relations, but to be able to rely on them when needed?”

Naoi smiled and nodded, already reaching for his phone. Nekomata sighed and shook his head. He gave thought to calling Ikkei as well. The old coot was probably already fixing to return as a coach to cover.

“My, what troublesome rivals.”


	5. In which Keishin wakes up

The first time he woke up, Keishin didn’t really understand what was going on. His whole body ached, the lights were shining down on him too brightly, and he had a huge tube down his throat. He had started to gag around it which caused a nurse and doctor to rush to him and remove it. He only caught a few words out of what they were trying to ask him. He was back asleep before he could even think about responding.

The second time he woke up he was a lot more aware of his surroundings. The florescent lights and off-white walls combined with the steady beeping of machinery immediately let him know he was in a hospital. He was only left wondering why for a moment before the pain registered in his tired mind.

His eyes screwed up with the force of it. He could distantly hear the heart rate monitor speeding up as he started groaning and crying. Someone was in the room, speaking rapidly. He could hear them walk around him and then farther away. They came back after a moment, with loud footsteps and more voices behind them.

“Ukai-san,” An unfamiliar voice sounded right next to him, “Ukai-san please try to remain still. You’ve been severely injured. It will hurt less in just a little bit, please try to hold on.”

Keishin tried to hold still. His breathing and heart rate were still elevated, and his shoulders and arms shook, but he managed to keep from twisting and turning. After several agonizing minutes, the pain did start to ebb away.

“Keishin?”

“M-mom?” Keishin’s eyes flew open. His mother was leaning over the right side of him, eyes wet and face red. She smiled at him and reached forward to stroke his hair.

“Keishin, my baby, you’re going to be okay,” She whispered down to him, “You’ll be okay.”

Keishin let his eyelids droop as he focused on the feeling of his mom’s hand in his hair. He was still sobbing, still shaking from the pain, and not caring about either at all. It was like he was a little kid again, crying for his mom to make everything better.

He belatedly noticed his father was there too, on his other side, murmuring softly to him. Masahiro leaned over and kissed his temple.

“It hurts,” Keishin whined as tears kept rolling down the sides of his face, “It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…”

“We know, Kei, we know,” His father said softly, “We’ve got you. It’ll get better in a bit. We’re right here.”

It felt like hours before the pain meds kicked in. The world around him got more muffled and farther away as his consciousness drifted. Even the lights seemed to dim as he fell back under the medicated haze.

He dreamt of looking into a person’s eyes. They weren’t familiar at all. Nothing else seemed important in the dream. Just the person in front of him, moving so slowly towards him that it was almost as if they was paused in place.

They looked horrified. Pupils blown wide, mouth open in a scream, their arms locked, their hands gripping the steering wheel white knuckled-

The dream came crashing back into real time. He couldn’t even think to blink before the impact.

It was a loud and disorienting blur. By the time the dream had come back under some form of order the face was in front of his own again. Moving in real time. Their voice muffled by a blaring car horn.

He couldn’t move his body. No matter how hard he tried in the dream nothing happened. The he saw the person grab his hand and but he couldn’t feel the touch.

The dream faded from there, eventually leaving him with nothing but a general sense of wrongness.

The next time he woke up it was dark.

The heart monitor was beeping steadily out into the otherwise quiet room. He managed to turn his head to look down at his hand. His whole left arm was covered in a cast. His dad was leaning over the side of the bed, head resting on the arm of the hand that was still holding his.

Keishin tried to move his fingers, and with only a little delay, they wiggled against his dad’s grip.

Masahiro jerked awake. He blinked a few times before noticing the Keishin was staring at him, “Kei?” He squeezed his son’s hand.

Keishin didn’t even bother trying to stop the tears. His dad stood up and moved to the head of the bed. He gently carded his free hand through Keishin’s hair while he hiccupped and sobbed.

He could feel the warmth of his dad’s hand holding his.

He could still feel it.

 


End file.
